VWS Newsletter – July 2010
(… as a vuvuzela wails – hopefully not again for a while – in the distance)
Howzit! (I’m trying out headings for each section, for those of you that get bored!):
Greetings members of the Volunteer Wildfire Services, New Recruits, past members, friends and those who just like to know ‘wassup’! This, your July newsletter, may be a couple of days late, but like everyone else, I’ve been somewhat caught up in the frenetic activity of World Cup (can I say that without the “registered trademark” logo yet?) events, whilst trying to keep regular life going at the same time. Hope you all had fun while it was on… anyone game for the Olympics?
Winter Training:
We’re well and truly into our winter training season. Scenario Training at both Newlands and Jonkershoek is proceeding apace, and if you haven’t yet attended a session because you’ve been snuggled up under a blanket and hiding from the cold, I suggest you get out there and get your heart pumping, your muscles moving and your firefighting skills honed for the coming summer ‘Fire Season’. I for one, have particularly enjoyed participating in the Night Hike Scenarios out of Newlands, heading off in the dark of winter evenings, keeping pace with firefighters old and new, stopping to sip Powerade and munch on JungleBars with the night lights of Cape Town spread out below us. It’s good exercise, and a keen indication to those of you less fit than you should be as to what to expect in the dark on the fireline.
Active Firefighting Alternatives:
For those of you not wanting to participate in Active Firefighting this coming Fire Season, please ensure that relevant heads of portfolios know of your enthusiasm to participate outside of regular training. We’ll be proceeding with everything from Control Room training (in conjunction with Newlands Dispatch oversight from Working on Fire this coming season), to Logistics Team establishment and coordination, to Special Projects organisation in the near future. If you’re unsure of who to speak to, take a squizz at www.VWS.co.za or send me a mail with your query and I’ll redirect it to the relevant person.
VWS Endurance Challenge:
VWS Vice-Chair Kate Snoodyk will be in comms with you in the near future with news and info on our VWS Endurance Challenge which we’ll be walking at the end of September. Eight of us slightly demented VWS members (myself included) will endeavour to walk an approximately 180km route, with breaks for safety naps, food, and occasional waving at adoring crowds, from Cape Point, via a heap of peaks on the Peninsula above 250m, to Signal Hill, ending at the Newlands Fire Base. The aim of this ‘stroll’ will be to highlight the activities of the VWS as we approach the summer Fire Season, with sponsorships for those that take part raising funds for the VWS which we intend to spend on improved Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for VWS members. Kate will inform you of details, including the VWS Endurance Challenge website, and how you can get involved and help us raise funds.
New VWS Station:
The establishment of VWS South Peninsula is proceeding apace, with Ken Findlay heading up developments. With Philip Prins’ assistance from TMNP, we’re taking significant steps to secure a dispatching location – another VWS Base, if you will! – down south on the Peninsula. Our long-term aim is to have a secondary focus, other than Newlands, from where VWS members can be efficiently dispatched to fires on the south end of the Peninsula. The project is still in its early stages, and we’ll have to iron out all the challenges associated with logistics, call-out strategies and the like, but I’m confident that enthusiasm from existing and new members in the south will result in the birth of a well planned VWS Station. We’re aiming for a broad sweep of community involvement, and Ken has already had meetings with stakeholders including the RedHill Community Forum, landowners, and other role-players working on projects like alien eradication, education, and development.
VWS Branding:
Within the next week, all 3 of our VWS Land Rovers will be ‘firefighting yellow’ – the international standard in wildland firefighting! They really do make a statement. Allied with their bright new image, we’ve taken a long, hard look at all aspects of VWS branding and design, with the aim of consolidating what we have and making sure that we present a bold statement to the world. There are strict guidelines relating to the use of everything from the VWS logo, to the colours we display, to the wording on the sides of vehicles. If you are involved in any brand-related activities, make sure you clear matters with Media & Marketing Director Ryan Heydenrych before you hit the “print” button!
VWS Motto:
Allied to this, we’ve decided that all members should get involved in helping us to come up with a punchier motto. While we will always remain “Committed to Integrated Wildfire Management”, we don’t want to bore people in traffic who have to read what we’re about on the side of our Landies! When we send emails, we want you to read to the very end, because the motto gets your juices flowing! Ryan will be sending you a mail in the very near future, calling for responsible, well-conceived, relevant, punchy ideas for the VWS motto.
VWS Finances:
Financially, the VWS is in a decent position at present. We have submitted formal application to BAT SA for a further year’s funding, and await feedback in that regard. VWS Financial Director Doug Hardy is in the final stages of tying up our end-Feb 2010 financial audit with Earnst & Young. We pride ourselves on ensuring that all financial matters are attended to with the utmost transparency and honesty; members are always welcome to contact Doug with queries relating to financial oversight.
The recent donation from SA Litho was discussed in detail at our most recent VWS Board meeting, and VWS Directors decided to task a portion of the money to acquiring a 4×4-capable skid vehicle (“bakkie-sakkie” for those of you who haven’t been keeping up with terminology!) for VWS use. We’re currently shopping around for a good condition 4×4 Land Rover bakkie or similar, soon to join the yellow fleet. If you know of any good buys, feel free to contact VWS Logistics Director Charles Phillips with your suggestions.
VWS Commitment & Responsibility:
I’m glad to see so many members – new and old – enjoying themselves at our activities. Part of our motivation as volunteers must be self-fulfilment, because only by enjoying what we do can we do it well. I, for one, really dig climbing up ropes at Scenario Training sessions, or driving around in our Landies and feeling a sense of pride when people turn their heads to see who we are, or smiling at strangers and giving them a quick briefing on who we are and why we’re traipsing around in the dark, as we hike past them in Newlands Forest on our night training hikes.
But being a member of the VWS also comes with a degree of responsibility and commitment. When you’re asked to RSVP to a training event, stick to your word and pitch up if you’ve said you will. When you use VWS equipment, use it as if it belongs to you and you spent your own precious money on it – take care of all we have. When issues come up for discussion in our ranks, raise points for their constructive value, helping to improve what we do and how we do it, and don’t just moan about rumours and misgivings that have little or no credibility.
By keeping a positive outlook on what we do in the Volunteer Wildfire Services, you’ll be helping yourself and your fellow members to enjoy what we do even more. I am extremely proud to be a member of the VWS; let’s get that pride burning bright amongst our ranks!
Warm winter wishes,
sTiv
VWS Chairman
web: www.VWS.co.za
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